Unite, the UK’s leading union, has warned that Sainsbury’s
customers across the South West could face pre-Christmas
shortages, if lorry drivers employed by DHL take strike action in
a dispute over pay.
The 140 plus lorry drivers, who undertake deliveries across the
South West for Sainsbury’s on an outsourced contract, have been
forced to take strike action as their employer DHL has refused to
make a pay offer which meets their expectations.
The drivers have been offered a miserly three per cent increase
over an 18 month period, which bears no comparison to the current
RPI inflation rate of 4.9 per cent.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Lorry drivers
are key workers who are vital to our economy, they will not
accept poverty pay or real terms pay cuts any longer.
“In recent months Unite has won a large number of significant pay
increases for lorry driver members as a result of the union’s
renewed focus on defending the jobs, pay and conditions of our
members. The union will be providing its full support to our
members in this dispute for a fair day’s pay."
The ballot opens on Thursday 11 November and closes on
Thursday 25 November. If the workers vote for strike action then
strikes could begin as early as the second week of December,
causing considerable disruption to Christmas supplies.
Unite regional officer Shevaun Hunt said: “Our members are
balloting for strike action as, despite protracted negotiations,
DHL has failed to make a reasonable pay offer.
“Even at this late stage, DHL can still avoid strike action by
returning to the negotiating table and making an offer which
meets workers' expectations.”
The potential strikes affecting Sainsbury’s in the South West add
to the growing list of industrial action ballots that Unite is
holding for lorry drivers and warehouse workers employed on major
supermarket contracts over pay. Tesco lorry drivers and
warehouse staff are currently being balloted over pay and there
is also an escalating dispute at Morrisons.
The South West dispute follows
hard on the heels of a similar dispute at DHL for Sainsbury’s
lorry drivers in Dartford who recently secured a significant pay
increase.
